


We Have Come So Far, Let's Not Stop Now

by feygrim



Category: Selfie (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Poisoning, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, Unconsciousness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 12:24:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3529343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feygrim/pseuds/feygrim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Eliza doesn't end up going to Freddie? What if drowning her sorrows almost leads her to her death? What happens then?</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Have Come So Far, Let's Not Stop Now

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the #SaveSelfie Fanfic Writing Contest, which was a while back!!! I went back and forth over whether I should post it on AO3 and I decided more Heliza fic is needed in the tag! This was fun to write and I hope there are future contests like this! I love this show and I hope it can be saved!

“Cold,” Eliza mumbled. Even the sweaty heat of the dance floor couldn’t get her warm. She pushed past her dancing coworkers to get to the bar. Was it really dancing? It was more like flailing #turnt. She went to order a shot to warm herself right up.

  
The bartender looked her up and down for a moment. “Sorry, lady, I’m cutting you off.”

  
“What?! This is……” She struggled with getting the word she wanted out. “..bullshit!” Why was it hard to breathe all of a sudden? She squinted angrily at the bartender. “Do you know who I am? I’m, I’m Eliza fucking Dooley……bitch! Number one, NUMBER ONE, sales rep! And I’ll say when I’m done! I’ll say when I’m…….”

  
She stopped to catch her breath and backed away from the bar. The room suddenly started to spin. ‘Close my eyes for one sec and it’ll stop’ Eliza thought. Blessed darkness fell on her and everything faded away.

‘Maybe I’ll forget about Henry now’

*******************************************************************************************  
*Beep* *Beep*

  
Eliza slowly blinked her eyes open, squinting up at a dotted ceiling. ‘….Why does my head feel weird? Fuck, what happened?’  She turned her head to the left, staring at the beeping machine to her left. She lifted her hand, finding a plastic clamp on one end and a thin plastic tube pressed down by tape leading to what looked to be an IV. She lifted her head and could see another plastic tube leading into….ew. So she was in the hospital. Again. For something obviously worse than a fall.  
  
“Fuck,” she whispered, voice cracking. She turned her head to the right. Henry. This wasn’t her thinking about Henry. No, Henry Higgs was here. In the hospital room. Sitting in a chair, sleeping. Huh. She always thought he would be a snorer.

  
Henry’s head dropped then suddenly snapped up, bewilderment crossing his face as he looked around. Then his gaze alighted on her. She couldn’t read his expression and it was very unnerving because Henry was usually such an easy read.

  
Eliza couldn’t stand the awkward silence any longer. “…….Hey…..” She tried smiling, though it felt awkward on her tired face.

  
Henry got up, chair scraping against the hospital room floor.  Fuck, was he going to leave?! Well, maybe this was a good thing. It wasn’t like he hadn’t already made his feelings clear! He stepped towards her quickly and she tensed up, wondering what he was going to do. He wrapped his arms tightly around her. Maybe it was the alcohol poisoning but this was startling to say the least. She expected a lecture or angry shouting, not this. “You…..I…I thought you were going to d-die.” His voice was all choked up.

If only she could see his face right now. Was Henry Higgins crying?

“Everybody was distressed and I-I came to see what happened and it was you…. you were lying there, and I thought you died, thought you were dead, and I didn’t know what to do! I was useless! I just stared at you while the bartender called 911 and Saperstein, he, he helped and rolled you over to your side and I just stood there. And stared at you.” He swallowed a sob, shuddering as he hugged her tighter.

“Henry,” Eliza whispered. She reached her arms around him and hugged him back, eyes filling with tears. He cared about her. Even if he didn’t love love her, he cared about her. That was all that mattered. The love of a friend was enough.

The sound of the curtain being pulled and a cleared throat made them separate, each looking sheepishly away. The nurse asked her questions and told her that she would have to remain in the hospital for a few days for observation. “You can go home after that but I recommend staying away from work for a bit as well. And away from any alcoholic beverages.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Eliza said, cowed by the stern gaze.

“You’re going to recover nicely, Ms. Dooley. I’m sure your boyfriend will be happy to have you back home,” the nurse said, glancing between them. “He visited you every day.” With that she left, barely hearing Henry’s weak protests.

He blushed and coughed, looking down at his lap. Awkward silence set in as they looked anywhere but at each other. “……They wouldn’t allow me to drive with you in the ambulance,” he started. “I had to wait until the next morning to visit you. I didn’t sleep much and Saperstein gave me a week off, it was that bad, yeah. They told me they had to pump your stomach and you…you had a tube through your throat to help you breathe, but you weren’t awake. It was terrifying, seeing you so silent and still. You’re never still. Or silent.” He laughed, wiping at his face and sniffing.

Eliza looked at him. Really looked at him.  His uneven tie, his obviously re-worn shirt with a coffee stain, his rumpled pants, and his uncombed hair. He let himself get into this state because he was worried about her. Her heart felt like it was swelling and she bit her lip to prevent a full on breakdown. “………Y-you look terrible.”

Henry smiled shakily. “You are not looking too good, either.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry, god, Henry. I’m such a fucking idiot!” Eliza covered her face, not able to hold back the tears anymore.

Henry scooted his chair up to her, taking her hands in his. He grasped her hands gently as he looked into her beautiful hazel eyes, expression bursting with happiness and love. It was almost hard to look at but Eliza didn’t dare look away. “No, I’m the idiot. I’m the one who ran away from my feelings instead of facing them head on. I didn’t give you an honest answer because I was scared, just like you said. But I found that I am more scared of you dying and not being around than making myself vulnerable.”

It was getting hard to breathe and alcohol poisoning wasn’t the reason. Eliza’s chest seized up and she had to say something. “You love me! Ha, I knew it! You looooooveee me!” She blurted out, grinning proudly.

“Eliza,” Henry said, hanging his head in exasperation. “I’m trying to confess my feelings here.”

“Right, sorry.” She laughed sheepishly. “…..But I’m right, right? You love me.” She couldn’t stop grinning.

Henry lifted his head, smiling up at her with the most adoring expression. “Yeah, I love you.” They leaned in for the big kiss, violins playing in the background, sun showering them in light #truelove, #finally.

"Oh, I forgot. Your fellow coworkers have sent you a plethora of teddy bears and cards and—-”

“Henry!”

Henry laughed. “Doesn’t feel good, does it.” He kissed her, sweet and chaste. She could have spent an eternity kissing those lips she had had many dreams and fantasies about.

“Maybe I should almost die all the time if it gets you to open up like this,” Eliza teased when they pulled away.

“Eliza, I beg of you. This is no joking matter” Henry said, frowning seriously.

“Don’t worry, I won’t die. I’ve got you to take care of me now don’t I?” Eliza laid back down on the hospital bed. She slipped her fingers between his. It was breathtaking how natural and easy it felt to do something so sweetly intimate with him. “..So what was this thing I heard about teddy bears and cards? Is there any money in the cards?”

Henry laughed again and presented her the many get well gifts her coworkers got her. She closed her eyes, lulled to sleep by his voice softly commenting on the presents.

**Author's Note:**

> find me on loveisfx.tumblr.com


End file.
